After our time in Livingstone came to an end (see part 2; The Tongabezi Experience), it is off to Zambia's famed Lower Zambezi valley, home to amazing wildlife and the Lower Zambezi National Park. Taking in some canoeing on the Zambezi River while staying at Sausage Tree Lodge and Old Mondoro.
Sausage Tree Camp is set in a stunning location on the banks of the Zambezi River, in the Lower Zambezi National Park. This is in the heart of the best game viewing area. The camp and very welcoming pool overlook many narrow channels teeming with game, offering the amazing Zambezi escarpment as the backdrop.
We enjoyed boat cruises, sundowners, day and night game drives, an early morning canoe amongst hippos and crocs, tiger fishing and even a surprise lunch in the Zambezi River.
Sausage Tree also offers walks with highly skilled and trained rangers. Elephants are seen in camp on a daily basis. Game viewing is excellent, with an extremely high chance of spotting wild dog, leopard, lion, hippo and buffalo, to name but a few, during your stay.
After returning from our morning canoe excursion on our first morning - hot and exhausted - we were told we would be "going out" for lunch. Obviously, we were all a bit dumb-struck, like where does one "go out" for lunch in the Lower Zambezi? So we all boarded our boat, and as we turned the first bend, we couldn't believe what we saw, a table, chairs, barbeque, drinks table and shaded thatch enclosure all set up IN the Zambezi River. The camp crew were all standing ankle-deep waiting for us, cocktails in hand. And so we sat ankle-deep in the Zambezi and enjoyed our delicious barbeque and cocktails. This was most definitely one of the highlights of my trip, one which I will remember forever!
Sausage Tree Camp is an ideal family-friendly as well as a Honeymoon destination; there is something here for everyone.
Old Mondoro; From Sausage Tree to Old Mondoro, it is an approx. A 45-minute boat ride, although that definitely depends on how many times you stop to take pictures!
Old Mondoro (the Shona word for lion is Mondoro and the name Old Mondoro derives from the local legend of an old, white lion that used to frequent the area) is one of the most intimate and private safari camps in the Lower Zambezi, offering only 8 beds.
On our afternoon arrival at the camp, we soon embarked on a game drive which quickly turned into a night drive after we had stopped on the banks to enjoy our sundowners. We were extremely lucky with our sightings, having spotted two young male lions, three porcupines (my first ever sighting), hippos running amok, buffalo, five genets, as well as a bushbaby which we were told was the first sighting in two seasons!
Other activities on offer include canoeing, game viewing by motorboat, tiger-fishing (catch and release), as well as bush walks - there are some excellent walking areas right from the camp, and I've been told this is the best walking area in the Lower Zambezi.
It is a very rustic camp - quite different from the likes of Sausage Tree where we had just come from - with no electricity (paraffin lamps bring the camp alive after dark), offering a fantastic "back to basics" experience. If you need your hairdryer, then perhaps this is not the camp for you.
The Lower Zambezi Experience by Uyaphi.com
- Royal Zambezi Lodge
A Lower Zambezi lodge refurbished as a 5 star luxury lodge, overlooking the vast Zambezi river with it's wildlife and scenic vistas. Royal Zambezi River Lodge is a striking combination of contemporary style and comfort in a completely unspoiled bush environment. - Toka Leya Camp
Toka Leya Camp consisting of 12 spacious en-suite safari-style tents, is hidden on the banks of the Zambezi River in the western sector of the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, about 12km upstream from the Falls, offering spectacular views.
- Potato Bush Camp
Potato Bush Camp located on the banks of the Zambezi River in a very remote corner of the Lower Zambezi National Park offers guests a small and exclusive safari experience like few others. Only four tented suites all offer stunning panoramic views overlooking the Zambezi River and Zambezi escarpment.
- Nsefu Camp
On the banks of the Luangwa River, Nsefu Camp marks the spot where tourism first arrived in Zambia. Located within a pristine area of the South Luangwa National Park that is rich in wildlife and far from the intrusive view of outsiders. Game viewing here is effectively private.
- Royal Livingstone Hotel
The Royal Livingstone Hotel, stretching along the banks of the Zambezi River, consists of a series of 17 colonial-style buildings with deep verandas, set amidst indigenous trees and plants is only a few steps from the mighty Zambezi.
- Zambezi Grande
Zambezi Grande located just outside the Lower Zambezi National Park a few minutes drive away is a privately owned and run riverfront establishment that is highly sought-after by those looking to experience all that Lower Zambezi Valley offers.
